Looking for some advice...

[CH88]

Hello everybody, 

I wanted to post this under the RAMP program but seems to be disabled or discontinued area to post. Anways short background is I a filed claim for anxiety and PTSD in Sept. 2016 was denied, appealed to DRO Aug. 2017, accepted to be put into the RAMP program Aug. 2018 in Supplemental claim with the initial completion date to be June 8th 2019. Called PEGGY yesterday to find out if they have had any movement and was told by individual that he really doesn't see anybody in RAMP anymore. Asked if he could dig a little deeper and he stated he would send an inquiry to the RO dealing with my claim (assuming its still in Phoenix AZ). So I checked VA.gov today and now my estimated completion date was pushed out from a completion date of tomorrow to July 10th, 2020. I thought that RAMP was a pilot program that basically the VA was attempting to complete most claims submitted for the results and find out if this new appeals process would work? Maybe I'm wrong but it seems like I should have just stayed in the DRO and not taken the risk if they are going to take the same time to complete if I didn't opt into RAMP. 

I was initially denied for mental health disabilities due to my psychologist doing the C and P exam (in 2016) stating "I cannot answer whether the disabilities started in service without mere speculation." Then the VA asked her to give an answer along the lines of most likely or not, direct, less likely, etc. She wouldn't answer and I was denied benefits. I had an IMO which gave me a an "at least likely as not" for service connection and filed an appeal. Then during this RAMP in March 2019 VA sent me to another C and P exam offsite and was given the same "at least likely as not" for anxiety service connection. I was diagnosed with anxiety, insomnia, shortness of breath/panic attacks during service which seemed kind of straight forward when applying for anxiety but I guess not. 

I guess I am asking is there anybody else out there that has a RAMP with a completion date of July 2020 or later? Does the claim seem relevant, meaning diagnosed with anxiety in service and given diagnosis of anxiety from VA mental health/private provider within few months of recent C and P? Is RAMP a long term appeals process or should I be hounding my back burner DAV rep. who seems to be busy all the time? Also I have been in a preparation for decision phase since the last C and P exam which was March 2019, for all my other claims once it hit this stage it went a lot faster. Any advice would be great, thanx!

 

Edited July 31, 2019 by CH88

[CH88]

thank you for explaining the difference vet quest,

please see attachment from my Ebenefits summary, I cropped it. Let me know what this may mean. 

[vetquest]

This is good, mine says:  You are being paid at the 100 percent rate because you are unemployable due to your service-connected disabilities: Yes.  This means that I cannot work.  I was declared IU because it allows me to receive SMC.

Yours does not contain this statement so you should be scheduler 100% and can work.  Your effective date is last December so you should receive some backpay (about seven months).
 

[CH88]

Nice, that is good. I don't know if this is true but does that mean there is no future exams?

[kanewnut]

I think when you become rated permanent and total that you don’t get any more C&P exams. 

[ShrekTheTank]

Even if you are P&T I believe they can still revaluate if it is for a condition not under P&T.  I am not positive on that though.  I think if you are 100% off of one condition then you can't be or are over the 20 year mark

[vetquest]

You cannot be called back for a condition over the 20 year mark.  Other than that you have some protection over five years but you can be re-evaluated at any time.